Parasite Gods

5: Apologetics by Secan-Howil

I would, in my defense and that of the various people I have worked with, mention that our fervor was not simply the result of blind faith. I still believe there are people in the Office of Spiritual Safety and throughout the temple who are good, just as there are many who are corrupt. One of the reasons for our belief is a series of published apologetics, written by the high priestess Secan-Howil some two centuries before. I have included here an excerpt from the best-known of these documents, titled "Unwilling: Human Corruption of Possession" in which she provides justifications for the destructive behavior of the various types of Unwilling*. In particular, this source teaches us regarding the two forms of unwilling and the appropriate treatments for each. This, I believe, is valuable knowledge that should not be cast aside lightly.

Where I differ from the high priestess is in the justification. Secan-Howil goes to great lengths to defend the goodness of the Mother, and the skaroq, while placing the blame for any harm done firmly on the shoulders of humanity. As an antitheist, I cannot believe this to be the case. It seems unlikely that a priest, trained by the temple from childhood, is the only safe host for a skaroq, or that only the priests are pure enough of soul to do so without corruption. For now, however, I will allow the words of the high priestess to speak for themselves.

*Editor's commentary: This text is available at the academy, and I have read from it over the years in my study of the First Revolution. Meghan is correct when she claims that is the definitive source regarding the Temple's position on the Unwilling. However, it appears that she has selected one of the rare portions of the book that stands out, where the bulk of the text makes for rather dry, though informative, reading. For a more interesting read, I also recommend "On Funeral-practices and Rites of Transference" by Engmen Tulk.

Source: "Unwilling: Human Corruption of Possession" - Secan-Howil

... and while it is clear that the skaroq, when sharing in the corporeal form of the priesthood, are a source of divine beneficence, I would be remiss were I not to expound on the various forms of evil known as the Unwilling. In actuality, this discussion should take place in many parts, for the Unwilling come from many forms: some living, and some dead.

It is established that the skaroq have no form of their own, their bodies having died during the long sleep of the Song of the Mother. As such, they must possess a body, and will do so inevitably. Two factors determine the quality of the body to be inhabited, these being willingness and capacity. Willingness comes from the human mind. Once a skaroq enters a human, the transference completes with or without consent. Neither human nor skaroq can prevent the process. Capacity comes from temple training. It is this that sets the priests aside from the populace, their long education and mental practice preparing their minds and their souls for the process of possession. In particular, the regular cleansing of the soul makes it into a pure vessel for the skaroq, such that they are not corrupted by human failing.

Unfortunately, in some cases a willing body with appropriate capacity is not available. This is inevitably a human lapse, as we have a duty to provide suitable hosts for the skaroq in sacrifice for the blessings they give, and to prevent the Unwilling. In such an unfortunate case, a discorporated skaroq is forced to inhabit a lesser host, often entering a person close by.

If that person has a willing mind that has been trained, but their soul is unclean, symptoms of corruption may take significant time to appear. Eventually, though, the skaroq will be stained by the darkness of the unclean soul and the pair will turn to evil. Although not Unwilling in the technical sense, since the host consents to the pairing, this is sufficient cause to prevent the union of any human with a skaroq unless they are temple-trained. Note that in this case we do not observe the madness typically associated with the Unwilling, and the pair may disguise their corruption effectively, to the peril of all.